Knowing and following the foloowing basic guidelines for watering orchids will make you a watering professional very quickly!

First and foremost, know your orchid.

Since all orchid species and hybrids have different needs, the best way to give your orchids the best care is to know what their specific needs are. If you know what kind of orchid you own, this is a simple proposition.

If you've bought your orchid from a reputable grower (and please do) he or she can quickly tell you all you need to know about watering your orchid. You can also contact your local orchid society for expert advice.

Then there is always the Internet. It is chockfull of orchid information – just be sure to confirm what you see on any website to ensure the information is accurate. In any case, you will be able to easily learn if your orchid likes to go dry between watering or if it prefers to stay somewhat moist.

Orchid Tip: The kind of medium in which you plant your orchid, how warm it is in the growing room, the size of the pot – or perhaps your orchid is growing on a slab of wood or bark – the humidity in your growing room,  all affect how often you need to water an orchid.

Timing or amount of watering: Which is more important?

Hands down – it is how often you water orchids. This is much more crucial than how much you water orchids. When watering orchids, remember to drench them with water. Pour water into the pot or over the bark slab and watch it run right out of the bottom of the pot or over the sides of the slab.

Use rainwater if you can. Tap water contains chlorine which orchids do not tolerate very well.

The reason you should drench your orchid is to wash impurities off the roots and the potting medium. Fertilizer, in particular, is a big culprit when it comes to leaving too many unwanted salts on orchid's roots and the inside of pots.

A good rule of thumb, and starting point, is to water every four to six days. If your plants are in small pots – maybe four inch pots – they will need to be watered more often. If it's really hot and dry where you live, water more often. If your orchids get a lot of sun, water more often.

What happens if you overwater?

If you overwater your orchids continually, they may very well die. The overarching question then is: How can you tell if you're overwatering?

There is a very simple test that will give you a quick and accurate answer. Stick your finger or a pencil an inch or so into the medium. If it continually comes back wet, you're overwatering. Stop watering until your finger or the stick is almost dry when removed (and in the case of some orchids, definitely dry). Then water again.

The problem with overwatering is that it will cause roots to rot. Healthy roots are white with greenish tips. Unhealthy roots are brown or black and mushy.

Roots are the foundation of the orchid and when the foundation is no good….well; there is a sad and obvious ending.

Orchid Tip: Clear plastic pots are popular orchid pots because you can see the roots right through the pot without disturbing the plant.

If your orchid starts to wilt, don't assume it needs more water. In fact, this is a sign of overwatering. Your orchid can only absorb so much water and when it's absorbing too much it will tend to wilt. Pseudobulbs will shrivel up. Leaves may curl. Parts of the orchid will blacken.

What happens if you underwater?

Less will happen if you underwater than if you overwater. However, an under-watered orchid exhibits lots of the same properties of an overwatered orchid. One of the best ways to tell if your orchid is under-watered is to take a look at its roots. If they look healthy, you need to water more often, not less often.

Watering orchids is a bit of a science, but you'll soon get the hang of it and establish your own watering routine!